Winning the Corporate Philanthropy Award: Why this means a lot to us | #customersupport #supporticket

Highlights:

• Cloud communications is much more than building human connections. It’s also about giving back to our communities.
• RingCentral made the list for Top 100 Bay Area Corporate Philanthropists for 2020.
• Learn more about our corporate social responsibility program here.

On the outside, our mission is to help businesses and their teams work together as one—especially as people return to their offices or embrace hybrid and remote work. And we continue to deliver on that promise through cloud communications. After all, that’s what our flagship product, RingCentral MVP, is all about. 

But on the inside, we’re much more than just a cloud communications provider. We know that everything we do impacts people, whether they’re employees, customers, or members of our communities.

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That’s why all of our efforts contribute to our true goal of giving back to our communities. From our philanthropies to volunteering events, we want to build a world both employees and the people around us can be happy with. And in many ways, we’re making tremendous progress.

We put a lot of focus into our latest features and innovations, but this time, let’s look at how we impact our community in a different way. 

The Corporate Philanthropy Award

We’re excited to announce that RingCentral was awarded a spot in the Top 100 Bay Area Corporate Philanthropists of 2020. 

As most people can agree, 2020 was a tumultuous year—from the massive shift to remote work, to weeks and months of unrest among our communities. And in 2020, this was the focus of our attention.

A significant part of our employee donations, which is predominantly grassroots and employee-led, went to the largest civil rights organization in the US: the NAACP. We heard our employees’ voices, too. We matched our employees’ donations dollar for dollar, with additional grants to volunteer projects and other nonprofit programs.

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And we didn’t stop there. Our employees hold a lot of causes dear to their hearts, and they spearhead many of our philanthropic efforts. 

Here are a few nonprofits and the employees behind them:

1. The World Wildlife Fund

Diana Lee, Director of Marketing Analytics & Automation

How did you get involved with the World Wildlife Fund?  

Climate change has been an issue I’m passionate about since I first learned about it as a kid in school. After watching Netflix’s Our Planet—which I highly recommend—I became motivated to donate to the wonderful organization behind the series and have done so every month since. 

Why do you enjoy supporting the World Wildlife Fund?

We see the devastating effects of climate change more each year, and I believe future generations deserve better. Organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund are truly trying to make a difference by not only educating the world, but also actively making a difference on the ground.

Anything else you’d like to share about the World Wildlife Fund? 

I believe so much in this organization that in lieu of a wedding registry, I am asking guests to donate to a World Wildlife Fund fundraiser I created.

2. Sewa International Inc.

Gautam Desai, Senior Software Engineer

How did you get involved with Sewa International Inc.?

I got involved with Sewa International back in 2004 when South Asia was devastated by the Tsunami. I felt I should help in any capacity that I can. I’ve been volunteering and donating to Sewa International since then. 

Why do you enjoy supporting Sewa International Inc?

Although Sewa International specializes in disaster relief and rehabilitation, it has a large number of development projects of all sizes here in the USA. This allows me to volunteer as time permits and make use of my abilities. 

This also allows me to donate to a specific project of my choice. Sewa International is an organization highly-rated by Charity Navigator (4/4 stars), Guidestar (Platinum seal of transparency), BBB, and other institutes. So I’m confident that my contributions go to great causes.  

Anything else you’d like to share about Sewa International?

Sewa International USA is part of an international movement and is active in 20 countries, including more than 40 chapters in the USA. Over the course of the organization’s history, they’ve worked to develop programs serving families, children, women, refugees and tribal populations. 

Sewa International development programs focus on family services; child, tribal and refugee welfare; women empowerment; health; and education. 

3. HighSight

David Merced, Senior Strategic Partner Manager

How did you get involved with HighSight? 

Being raised by a single parent in Chicago during the 90s, my family never had a lot. But my mother knew it was important for me and my siblings to get a better education than what the local public schools offered in my neighborhood. 

I was fortunate enough to receive a scholarship when I was in high school. HighSight gives Chicago inner city kids the ability to choose a parochial school in which they would not have the ability to attend due to monetary limitations. Plain and simple, HighSight enables low-income families to get a better education than what they could normally afford. 

Why do you enjoy supporting Highsight?

HighSight has a unique formula for low-income high school students to achieve better grades and attend a college with a full college scholarship. 

• Better grades: Attend intensive study groups with tutoring from volunteers each week.
• College prep: ACT programs during the summer and experiential learning through summer internships and study-abroad programs.
• Financial aid assistance: HighSight staff helps each family maximize government programs along with college scholarships. 

Anything else you’d like to share about HighSight?

In just the last two years, HighSight has helped more than 150 high school seniors receive full-tuition scholarships totaling more than $30 million.

85% go to colleges go to highly-selective colleges (in the top one 20% of colleges nationally)

Total student loan debt for HighSight graduates is less than $15K for this year’s HighSight graduates, a fraction of the cost for other low-income Illinois students whose loans are 4 to 5 times that.

Staying true to our mission

Cloud communications might improve the way teams collaborate and work together, but for us, they’re a means to affect the positive change we want in the world around us. That’s the goal of our corporate responsibility program, RCause, and one we’ll continue to fight for. 

Learn more about our social impact here.